"That was a very, very good visit. We think we have managed to 'cement' ever more firmly the contacts between Moscow and Jerusalem. We had extremely fruitful talks with President Putin, and I can say Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has nothing but positive impressions of them," Mark Regev, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, told RIA Novosti yesterday.
Prominent on the Jerusalem negotiation agenda was Russian-Iranian nuclear industrial cooperation, and Russia's prospects to export anti-aircraft missile systems to Syria. Israel is taking both matters with a great deal of apprehension.
"We really tackled those issues, and we hope Russia now better understands our position and our anxiety," said Regev.
He also commented on his country's opinions of a Russian intention to build up Palestinian security forces. "Russia aims its efforts to promote the Palestinian National Authority on the anti-terror cause. These efforts enjoy our support. We have come to an understanding on Russia to coordinate them with us," remarked the diplomat.
Russia intends to export helicopters and liaison and communications means to Palestine, and will assist it to train security forces, Putin said as he was addressing a news conference in Palestine's Ramallah, yesterday. "We want this cooperation to be transparent, and not to alarm Israel," he emphasized.
